1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to spinning reels, and more particularly to a spinning reel comprising a pair of support arms attached to a rotatable member supported to be rotatable on a first axis of a reel body, a bail extending between the support arms to be pivotable on a second axis to switch between a windup position for winding a fishing line onto a spool and a release position for unwinding the fishing line from the spool, and a control member movable toward and away from the first axis.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional constructions for operating the bail to the release position in a spinning reel as constructed above are disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publications Kokai Nos. 61-186361 and 60-5366. The construction disclosed in the former, as shown in FIG. 10, comprises an arm lever 8' pivotable with a bail 9' and including a contact element 20', and a control member 10' for applying a pressing force to the contact element 20' to cause the arm lever 8' to move in a forward, release direction. The contact element 20' defines a cam surface so that the arm lever 8' is pivotable by a selected amount in response to a unit amount of operation of the control member 10'. The construction disclosed in the latter, as shown in FIG. 12, has a link mechanism L' interposed between an arm lever 8' and a control member 10' to cause the arm lever 8' to pivot a selected amount in response to a unit amount of operation of the control member 10'.
Situations in which the bail is moved to the release position are considered now. According to the disclosure of the former publication, the contact element defines a cam surface so that, in an initial state of operation, the control member is operable with ease by stretching a finger of the angler even in a situation where it is relatively difficult to apply a force through a fingertip, and that the bail may be caused to pivot quickly in an intermediate stage of operation where it is easy to apply a force through the fingertip.
However, in the construction in which the pivotal movement of the bail is accelerated with variations in the position of contact between the control member and cam surface, for example, the cam surface has a reduced radius of curvature for accelerating the pivotal movement of the bail at an intermediate stage of operation, and the pressing force concentrates on the cam surface. Consequently, the cam surface and/or control member will easily be worn or deformed.
This type of spinning reel in particular usually includes a toggle spring or the like for maintaining the bail in either the windup position or the release position. The wear or deformation noted above tends to occur all the more as a result of use over a long period. Thus, there is room for improvement.
In the latter construction, the amount of pivotal movement of the bail corresponding to the unit amount of operation of the control member may be selected by determining an arm ratio of the link mechanism. Compared with the construction employing the cam surface, this construction has an advantage of being relatively free from wear and deformation. However, the construction employing the link mechanism requires link elements interconnecting the arm lever and control member. This addition not only impairs the weight balance of the pivoting system but requires a space for accommodating the link elements as well as a support axis for supporting the link elements. Consequently, the construction becomes complicated, with an enlarged linkage system. Thus, the latter construction also has room for improvement.